Why We Fought, and Why We Had To
by J-Stylo
Summary: We won, the Ethereals were defeated, Earth was free. Yet as The volunteer wakes up everything he accomplished lies in the future, first contact not yet even made. Why and how have the Ethereals done this, and why now...
1. Prologue

**For long we have watched and waited, and when we took our chance you destroyed us, worthy of ascension, yet ignorant to the cause. We admire and despise you, but we need you in any case. You will see our reasons, and then you may choose our fate. Annihilation or Atonement.**

* * *

With a shock he woke up, as if from a bad dream. He looked around and saw his room in the XCOM base, as he had left it before operation avenger, or perhaps sooner? He strangely was no longer wearing his psi armor, and the doctors had told him it was very unsafe to take off with his amplified powers. Maybe one of the other psionic soldiers had assured them it was safe, but how had he ended up back here? He stood up and decided to walk out the door, when a he heard a voice he recognized… but it couldn't be… He stormed out the door and there she was.

"Farisani! You're alive?"

"Uh yeah, of course, why wouldn't I be dumbass? I'm standing right in front of you."

He was take slightly aback by this reaction, and he was her senior officer so she had no right to talk to him like that.

"Is that how you talk to a colonel now captain Farisani?"

"Captain? Colonel? I do not know what the hell you've been drinking but we are both recruits here, and how the hell did you know my name to begin with? As far as I can recall we have never met."

The expression on his face turned from a frown to pure shock, as he collapsed to the floor, immediately Farisani's tone changing to a loud scream for a medic, but she was a medic… or at least how he remembered it…

He woke up in the infirmary to a bright light as one of the doctors was testing him.

"What the hell happened? Did I get knocked out by a Muton or something?"

"A Muton? Could you explain to me what that is?" the doctor asked.

"Are you kidding me? You must have seen a dozen on the autopsy table and you're asking me what a Muton is?"

"I'm sorry to inform you I have no idea what you are talking about recruit Harrec?"

He was dumbstruck as he remembered why he was here, and immediately pushed himself up.

"Doc, what date is it today?"

"Well, it is the 7th of January."

He lay back down slowly.

The 7th of January, three days before the conflict started, and the second day that he was stationed in XCOM Asia's base. Reports of extraterrestrial craft had come in from all over the world and the project had been put on standby and recruits from all over the world were made ready in the case of an invasion. He nearly blacked out again but he kept himself awake. Meanwhile the doctor watching over him kept making notes, his face was frowned.

"That means the first strike is tomorrow…" Harrec mumbled.

"Excuse me recruit, did you say something?"

"It's nothing doc, I just had a weird dream and it conflicted with what I saw outside my bunk, and the shock knocked me over, that must have been it."

He had to prepare his gear, tomorrow they would have to face an outsider with only ballistic weapons, and the sectoid crew too.

"I am afraid that is not what we suspect is wrong recruit, it's something with your brainwave activity, but we have no clue what caused it. However you seem the be in a perfectly healthy state aside from that so as long as you come here once daily for a check-up you are allowed to return to your room."

Harrec stood up and shook the doctor's hand mumbling a "Thank you" and walked to his room. He had to rest now. Tomorrow he would have to get up early.


	2. First contact

XCOM Asia HQ – January 14 2015 – 16:00

"Why aren't they here yet?" Harrec said out loud, as he rolled over in his bunk.

"Who's here?"

"Nobody Johnson, Harrec is just mumbling to himself again, the guy hit his head so leave him alone."

Harrec looked at the imposing Brazilian who made the comment, doing push-ups on the floor, wandering if he should thank the man or be offended. He decided he should keep his mouth shut. If his memories served him right, 5 minutes ago operation first crone should have been initiated, with him, Farisani, Johnson and Richter. But there had been no alarm, no attack, no dogfight and no recovery mission. Nothing. But why? There had been plenty of evidence that aliens had been on Earth, they didn't really care to cover their tracks.

But why no hostility yet? What were the Ethereals up to? Would they go for a straight up assault this time? Conquering Earth in days? Or bide their time and see the world forget, the XCOM-project deactivated and then strike? But what would the world forget then? This was not the time the aliens had already opened hostilities. But then what…

Suddenly alarms blazed throughout the base, and over the come came the voice of the commander:" Alien craft have appeared out of thin air in front of the UN-offices throughout the world, as well as several government institutes like the white house and the Kremlin. Gear up Delta squad, you are moving out in 3."

Delta squad, that was them, but the alien attack this time was surely different, overseers on first contact, a nightmare come true right in front of the governments of the world… He grabbed his gear already put at the end of his bed and made his way to the hangar. Farisani arrived second, Johnson third and last came Richter while trying to put on his Kevlar vest while running with a rifle strapped on his back.

Just as they entered the Skyranger the signal in base turned to all green, no contacts of any hostile intent.

"What the hell? Don't say just because they got some figureheads we surrender already?"

"Easy Herr Harrec, why is that your first conclusion mit diesem signal?" Richter asked, finally having put his vest on correctly.

"Why the hell else would they call us of!"

"Well, maybe because of that." Farisani proclaimed, as she pointed to the screens in the hangar. The screens were connected to the ones in the situation room and would display any information vital to XCOM to the hangar so the squad could prepare. But rather then panicky news on how several governments had already collapsed, it was a message from the council spokesman. And beside him was an Ethereal.

"Bastards, they went straight for the council di…"

"Shut up and listen" Johnson said as he put his hand over Harrec's mouth.

"We are pleased to inform you all that the XCOM Project will no longer be required, it appears as if these visitors come in peace, with the wish to technically uplift us as to join their collective. Several of the world's leaders have already agreed to this offer after having been given the privilege of being the first to see the inner workings of several Alien Craft, and they have agreed to let them broadcast a message from their representative all over the world using their technology. You can all prepare to go home soon, the project will remain on standby for 3 more days as per protocol."

These words droned inside Harrec's mind. While the rest of the base cheered for not having to go to war, he remained quiet, and silently walked to one of the edges of the base, away from the barracks and everything, down somewhere in engineering, ignoring all personnel that walked by happily to the bar in the barracks to celebrate.

They had not experienced war with the collective, only he had, they did not know what horrors were to come… But suddenly he came to a realization. All this time he was so busy figuring out what had happened and what was going on, that he had forgotten a key factor, he was psionic. He focused seep inwards and there the purple flow of energy was, crawling over his arms and emblazoning his eyes. He let the energy reside and then rushed to the training room. He would have to see if his powers were at their old levels still, if his plan was going to work…

* * *

15 January 2015 – 18:00 GMT

"… and that is our intention, I hope you as a species see why it is vital you aid us, and we hope we can come to a beneficial agreement for both us and you. We thank you for your attention."

The image of the ethereal speaker faded from the sky, as the world was left to consider the offer they had made. Earth would remain completely sovereign the way it was, in return for shelter while volunteers for their attempts to discover if humanity was worthy to join the collective would be delivered to them. Of course we are supposed to be tested, and if we are found unworthy they will condemn us to the same fate as the sectoids, or the mutons. Bastards. Tempting the world with shiny toys to hide their scheme, while they exploited the faith that had been put in them. He had to get in to that program, expose the enemy from within, and do as much damage in the process. Clutching his fist, as energy gathered within, he let loose before the glow became obvious to bystanders. He would have to put all he was and had in to this. In order for it to work.

Meanwhile several governments already were acquiring weaponry to settle their disputes with other nations, waiting for the time to strike, believing they were unstoppable with these new visitors at their side, and if things went bad, they could blame it on them… They had the advantage of surprise after all, they thought.


	3. Hiding in plain sight

EXALT HQ in ***** – 17th of January – Time undisclosed.

"And that is the status so far central, we have not yet found any so called worthy humans, and sometimes we hear the Ethereals mutter there were much more efficient ways, but the moment they think we heard something they become quiet again."

"Good work nevertheless still operative Carthus, the steady inflow of information on the alien technology is still impressive. We have already begun to train our new elites and create laser weaponry and new armor plating. When the world is left in the chaos of the coming war, we will seize control at last."

The display faded back to the EXALT logo, and Cortex, or Central as the soldiers called him, was left to his thoughts. More efficient ways they say, what could that mean? They have no weapons, as far as we have seen no army to speak of, how would they attempt anything more 'efficient' then? But that was of later concern, operation Helios would begin in a month or so, perhaps sooner, perhaps later, but before half the year had passed to be certain…

* * *

Ethereal psionic testing facility in ***** - 17th of January – Time undisclosed

Harrec walked around the facility, always on guard. So far the only species that had revealed themselves were the masters of the collective themselves, no mutons, no sectoids, and especially no chryssalids. They seemed peaceful, if not a little discontent that the way they were handling things wasn't very 'efficient'. He had so far avoided taking the test, it would immediately reveal he was psionic, or even worse, already awakened…

"Keep it together Harrec, you have to, for Earth."

He muttered to himself. The urge to flee became bigger every day, a sense of impending doom, but it came not from the collective, it was present on Earth itself. The U.S.A. had called home all oversees stationed soldiers except a few regiments together with UN forces to keep peace. Russia had done the same. China had stopped production of coal energy production reactors, and had a series of nuclear fusion reactors planned to be built. Yet all of this good news for some reason made him wary, where it should have made him happy. The world's wars were ending it seemed, all because of the Ethereals their arrival.

A dim light slowly became brighter, and a new round of testing was beginning in a few minutes. He would have to find a way to get out of this one too, but as he turned to walk away, an ethereal came floating down the hallway, speaking his name.

"Harrec… you do not have to undergo psionic testing now, our leader wishes to talk to you…"

The creature's head shook as Harrec launched a mindfray at it, but it remained upright and suddenly he felt a pair of reptilian feeling hands grab him from behind, and heard a hissing voice say:

"It was a gentle request, and you respond with force, how childish, how… _human…_ "

The Ethereal regained control over his head, and led them up to the ship that would no doubt bring them to the Temple ship, or Etherion as he now knew the Ethereals called it. Wonder where they got that original name from… he grimaced at the thought, it was by far not as funny when you were being taken to it…

* * *

Harrec Residence, UK – 20th of January – 17:15

This was already the second day he had been allowed to return home. His test was made up and concluded him non-gifted, as to keep his powers secret from the world. The experience he had listening to the Ethereal, with lack of a better word, their 'God', was surreal almost. He was still contemplating if his decision was the right one. He had seen Muton elites on guard, several sectoid commanders controlling devices of which he had only the faintest idea of what they were and what they did.

Several "Vipers" as they were called, apparently the true form of the Thin Man, were patrolling the corridors with unprecedented agility and swiftness. Nothing would or could interrupt them while they talked. In a few days the Ethereals would have him picked up to stay in Etherion, their hidden floating city, of which he was the only human who knew it existed. He would be trained in the art of psionics, as preparation for the coming war. Only this time, the roles would be reversed… and he was unsure what to think of it.


	4. Back in Action

Etherion, Ethereal collective capital, "blind" side of Mars – 25th of January – Time uncertain.

"Focus your power before releasing it, don't try to rush it, believe me that hurts you more than it does your foe." Harrec told his recruits.

Several other "gifted" had been discovered, or simply pointed out by Harrec himself. As a result, several former XCOM operatives were now being thought to control their new psionic powers under his guidance.

Most of the former operatives were very surprised to find Harrec when they arrived in Etherion, as he had been the most outspoken on the fact that all the xenos should be eliminated as efficiently as possible, before they could do anything of harm. And now here he was, apparently a master of psionics on par with the Ethereals themselves, already knowing who of them was or was not gifted, and ready to train them.

They had first witnessed him use his powers when they were being brought to him, they still had no clue what was going on at the time, and were quite shocked that Harrec's mutterings had seemed correct, that the aliens were armed, and not lightly either, as they came across a Sectopod assembly on their way to Harrec's training room. When they arrived Harrec was in the middle of his own training, and they looked in awe and shock alike as he psionically sparred with several opponents, one of them an Ethereal, the other two were Sectoid commanders. They watched him what seemed like tearing a hole in reality itself, as a massive surge in energy suddenly filled the space above his opponents, and a rift opened out of nowhere, knocking back his opponents with a follow up that seemed to push them of the ground and backwards with a nod of his head, his eyes ablaze.

When Harrec spotted the new arrivals from the corner of his eyes he closed the rift and made a strange gesture to the Ethereal and commanders, no doubt signaling that the session was over as they stood up and left through a door on the other side of the room. The former operatives looked in awe as Harrec approached them, his body still covered in a slight purple glow, even though it had faded from his eyes. The first to break the silence was Farisani.

"How… what… THE HECK WAS THAT? I thought you were xeno-hater numbero uno?"

"I was, but not anymore, welcome all, to Etherion, your new home for the coming time. I know you all to be gifted, capable of feats you would have deemed impossible if you hadn't just seen what I could do, although that is for now far beyond your limits, except for a few maybe…" As he scanned across the group and spotted Anette Durand.

Anette obviously had no clue why she had been brought here at all, she was no soldier, had not partaken in the volunteering project, and yet still found herself up here in space, with what seemed to be all former military, agents or law enforcement. Yet she was here among them, and the man that had just done things she could not have imagined in her wildest dreams, was keeping his gaze focused on her.

"Everyone, allow me to introduce you to Annette Durand, perhaps the most gifted of all of you. Perhaps it is time I explain to you why I know all of this, and even though it might sound surreal, it is, or was rather, all true. Xalieg, I will take them from you know, we have lots to discuss, and your leader needs you."

"Of course New One, I will leave you alone with your new pupils." The Ethereal that had guided them spoke, as he turned around and left.

"Well now, it is high time you get to hear my story, follow me." Harrec said as he walked out in front of the group to the section of the ship reserved for them.

* * *

EXALT cell somewhere in France – 24th of January – 14:00

"So far we have not found a trace of where she could have gone to, or why she has disappeared in the first place. So far we have had no reason to assume she knew she was under surveillance. One of the theories that have been brought up to my attention is that the Ethereals took her, since there were rumors of a UFO in the surroundings."

The figure on the screen leaned forwards, resting his elbows on the table, in deep thought as it appeared.

"Hmm, that is indeed plausible, but what reason would they have to take her? Does that theory of yours have any explanation for that too, commander Miadas?"

"Yes it does Cortex, it suggests that the Ethereals knew she had the potential to be gifted, as several other cells have reported that former XCOM operatives, not many, but a select few, have also mysteriously disappeared, the first of which was a former British Military Special forces Corporal, one Justin Harrec. A day later the reports about the others came in, starting with Kira Farisani. Our brain scans on Anette confirmed she was most likely capable of being 'Worthy' , yet we have still no exact confirmation of what this implicates, something to do with that purple glow around those Ethereals we suppose."

"Hmm, why was Harrec the first one? He was in the volunteering project as far as we know, but his results were negative… they were, weren't they Merlin?"

Another person moved in the background as Merlin stepped forward a bit and spoke.

"Yes Cortex, so far, it seems the Ethereals have not found many worthy subjects, and they said those gifted would first be tested as to qualify humanity truly 'Worthy'. Yet all of those subjects' results seem fairly underwhelming on their own scale. Our hackers are trying to gain access to their network to make sense of this all as we speak, as we assume there have been far more promising subjects that do not appear on the list, yet also have not been seen at their homes. This either has to do with the collective, or with the respective governments of those candidates."

"If the latter is the case we should prepare for operation Helios, it could be an indication that the nations already are ready for our plans. So far none of our intel suggests they are aware of our existence, how they are being manipulated…"

"We will proceed with operation Helios as planned Miadas, for now your current objective remains the same. Speaking of which, how are our new elites doing?"

"They are doing fine sir, a few minor nuisances are all they are bothered by. For some this means a lower perception of pain which has caused a few injuries, for others an itch on their skin and it feeling slightly scaly, for even others the fact they need to eat and drink a lot more to keep their metabolism functional and last some with teary eyes when they have to look at things to close to their face. I assume Merlin knows what fits with what."

"And what is the status on the… trio?"

"Alecto, Megaera and Tisiphone are all doing fine as far as results from other cells indicate. They are ready to infiltrate the volunteering facility, however we recommend we make haste before the Ethereals come looking for them themselves, which would undermine our operation. The brain scans indicate they have the same sort of strange activity as Anette had, however they have been fully integrated in our system and already agreed to the op."

"Very good Miadas, Cortex out."

* * *

XCOM Asia HQ Mission Control – 26th January – 16:00

"Understood commander, I will look in to it immediately." Bradford said as the commander nodded and turned his attention to the squabbling Shen and Vahlen.

The aliens' activity on Earth had grown sporadically, and with consent of the council, XCOM was being started up again, only this time without as many soldiers. Several of the most promising recruits XCOM had had, were now gone, missing for unknown reasons. And the council suspected the aliens were somehow involved, as the first to go missing had been Harrec, the soldier that had overwhelmingly convinced the council and the commander to let him be the one they would send to the volunteering facility the aliens had quickly assembled. Come to think of it, the commander was behaving rather strange during this process, and after it was done he suffered mild amnesia.

"Enough wrinkling my mind, I have to get to work." Bradford mumbled as he left for the situation room.

It was now in covert ops mode, as XCOM tried to find as much intel on the missing former operatives while remaining under the radar. Also activity regarding some rumors of one peculiar civilian going missing the same way all these operatives had, and the company she worked for. And some nut calling himself Commander Straker who was on hacked broadcasting frequencies ranting about shadow operatives, which caused slight agitation and panic in some parts of the world.

"I should have listened to that Harrec, somehow he knew things would go wrong with these new visitors from outer space."

All the while all over the world, nations were in secret preparing for war, a war they would make themselves, with the aliens as an excuse.


	5. Exalted

EXALT HQ in ***** - 5th of February – 14:49 GMT

The last minute on the timer was ticking of, as Alecto dashed through the obstacle course's final meters, smashing through the wall at the end and reaching the finish. A week or so back he and his two teammates were relocated to EXALT HQ in preparation of their op, an attack on the only agency that might resist or stop EXALT's progress to uniting the world under its banner. A paramilitary organization called XCOM. The goal of XCOM was to defend earth from any extraterrestrial threat, and it being put on active mode made it all the more clear that the nations of the world were not as mistrusting of each other as they had hoped, but rather mistrustful of the Ethereal collective.

He was awoken from his thoughts by a minor but genuine applause from operative Carthus. Carthus was the trainer that they had been assigned to, being one of the few operatives who had seen the actual workings of the aliens' technology first hand. With his technical degree and the help of EXALT's many scientists he had successfully rebuild a testing device as the Ethereals had.

"It seems your physical capabilities have seen great improvement with your new genetic implants. Excellent. I hope they are not causing too many inconveniences?"

Alecto sat down on a chair he had put there prior to the training.

"They are not, and indeed I fell stronger and better than ever, but off topic a bit here, when am I taking the test?"

Carthus smiled, he liked that about Alecto, always straight to the point.

"As a matter of fact, right now, Megaera and Tisiphone have already taken their test and are now in the hospital ward just to be sure there are no negative side effects. You are up next."

Alecto stood up from his chair and followed Carthus in to the hidden lower levels of the facility, his mind ready for whatever new power he would be given. He was ready to exalt.

* * *

Etherion, blind side of Mars – 5th of February on Earth – Time uncertain

Harrec watched his pupils spar with each other, all showing a little improvement every day since their training had begun. Some had joined training only later. Harrec's story about what had happened in an alternate scenario, the one where he got his powers from and the reason he was already so gifted, had shocked them. Sure they had seen the different alien species and the several war machines that the collective had its disposal by now, but such atrocities to be committed by a race that at first glance in this timeline seemed so benevolent was a real kicker. He had admitted that at first he had not trusted the collective at all because of his prior experience with them, but now the situation was different. He was already awoken, at the power level of an Ethereal on day one that the conflict would have started, and therefore had been able to see things in a different light this time.

Then came the reason they had been brought up here with him. They would need to be trained. The collective had incredible amounts of information of the world's secret military operations, all indicating that war was coming. And they all tied back to one central point. EXALT. Explaining to everyone why Anette was here was easier than he expected, as they all had accepted the story he had told them so far. He could see in the training she was already a powerhouse to be taken in to account, the others rather hesitant to face her, well except Farisani then, she went all in.

He had told them of EXALT, and their intention to obtain global dominance using alien technology and severely enhanced soldiers. They were the organization that manipulated all governments in some degree, and had several of the world's biggest corporations in its grip. And they were no pushovers.

Anette had seems quite shocked to know that if she was not taken away by the Ethereals she would have been incorporated in their schemes as well. The fact that she had worked for a company controlled by EXALT was enough to give her goosebumps.

And now they were here in Etherion, preparing for war, against everything they had ever known, earth itself. He shook his head, no, not earth, but the greed and corruption that were tearing it apart already. Humanity had to be united, become part of the collective, or their goal would never be achieved.

"Ok guys, time for some rest, in a moment we will start training our new technique, with the help of Anette. We got to find the Furies if we want our plan to succeed."

Everyone let their glow of energy fade and calmly walked to the edges of the training area. All but Farisani, who walked straight up to Harrec.

"Are you worried about something? I can tell by the way you keep sinking in to deep thought."

Harrec smiled.

"There is not much that I can hide from you is there? You seem to notice everything I do."

Farisani blushed a little.

"Well you did explain to me how you knew my name, everything we went through together, even my death…" both their faces looked more serious the instant she said that. "And our life. No wonder you were so shocked to find me alive that day in base."

Harrec gave a small nod and smiled again, as he wrapped his arm around her and said:" Not this time, nothing will happen to us this time…"

* * *

A scream of agony ripped through the soldier's mind, as he saw the wasteland around him. Had he caused this? Who was he even? And what date and time was this? Was he even alive? All he could see now were purple stars flickering in the sky, their comforting glow calming him as he returned to consciousness, ready to do what they had made him to do, what he had made himself to do. It is in the human nature after all, the will to dominate absolutely…


	6. Repercussions

Ethereal Overseer class UFO, exact location unknown – 17th of January – Time unknown

* * *

Harrec looked around in the UFO, there had to be something that would get him out of this mess, wasn't there? The situation looked dire from his perspective, the most powerful psionic human being in existence, captured while on a personal covert operation. Only one thing was odd to him, that they had not killed him. They had recognized him after all…

"Are you alright? You look rather distressed, or is that another human facial expression?"

Harrec's head immediately turned to where the voice had come from, and looked straight in to the eyes of the unknown alien that had taken him by surprise when he attacked that ethereal back on Earth.

"Why would you care? Are you about to become a Thin Man or something? Want advice of how to ruin my planet? Screw you!"

Harrec nearly spat in the creature's face as he said those last words. But yet again something was odd, the creature almost looked sad at this response, or angered? In any case its facial expression changed rapidly a few times before it spoke again.

"Not all, I just wish to be able to converse properly with what the Elders call 'The Chosen Ones', which I assume is your species, in your tongue, humanity. They seem very much intent on giving you certain privileges, and I respect whatever they do."

"Respect? What in seven hells are you blabbering about? Last time I came face to face with one of your masters it tried to bloody kill me with a psi lance! Don't think I will believe your lies so easily."

"How sad, you very much still require the enlightenment they shall grant you, but nevertheless I will stop my attempts to converse with you for now, perhaps on your trip home later we can talk…"

"Trip home? What the…"

* * *

The ship set down in the one place he had hoped never to see again, in this life or the next, Etherion, the Temple Ship from which all alien operations originated. Ironically in almost the same spot that Big Sky had landed during operation Avenger, humanity's last stand against the Collective.

The Ethereals that were with him aboard the ship appeared from the central chamber of the ship, together with their Muton Elite guards, and a few of the strange alien species like the one he had talked to just now. Perhaps they were the pilots of these craft.

They stared at him, and one of the aliens came towards him, offered its hand to help raise him up. Strangely enough there had been no attempts to restrict his movement in the ship apart from the two elites guarding the inner chamber, all the other aliens had just seemed to stare at him from a distance, or operating the ship.

As a token of 'Good will' he accepted the hand and stood up, the Ethereals not twitching a muscle while he did, but then again, they never seemed to. Then one of them spoke.

"Come with us New One, there is much to discuss before you may lead us in our journey, right this way."

Lead us? Harrec was dumbfounded. What the bloody hell were these things up to now? Nevertheless he followed the Ethereals along the path he had walked before, only then with a gun in hand and a psi suit on, not his regular clothes like this time. Whatever they were up to, they had at least spiked his interest.

He saw the alien species he had fought all over the path, mostly seeming to be busy or minding their own business. However he saw no chryssalids, apparently they were not allowed to roam around the ship freely like the other species, as far as that 'freedom' went.

They arrived at the bridge of the ship, and just where he had seen him last time, the Uber Ethereal, leader of the collective was seemingly meditating with the hive mind access point, and the controls of the ship. Just like last time he stood up slowly and spoke the lines he had heard him speak once before.

"Behold, the greatest failure, of the ethereal ones…"

"Cut the crap, I heard that speech before you know, and you actually do know because otherwise I wouldn't be here."

Harrec's facial expression changed to shock when he realized that in response to his words the Ethereals responded with something almost resembling warm laughter, if it hadn't been so eerie.

"Very well then, let us talk important matter in that case." The Uber Ethereal made a gesture and all the other aliens left the room without argue. "It is time I show you why you are here."

"You seem rather confident I won't kill you, sending all your guards out like that."

Harrec smirked, but he felt something was not at all right, or at least not how he thought it would be. The weird snake like alien on the overseer might have told the truth, they respected him, or was this just all a façade? If it was, it was very convincing to say the least.

"There is no need for violence here, only talk."

The Uber Ethereal floated from its heightened position to the same level Harrec was at, and made gesture as if offering a seat, while itself sat down on what seemed to be chair of pure psionic energy solidified. Harrec looked around and saw another one of those had appeared right behind him.

"Ok then, let's talk, obviously something is different than last time we met. Show me whatever the hell it is you want to show or tell me before my anger gets the better over my curiosity."

"Very well, let us begin then."

The Ethereal stood up and his chair vanished, and instead all around them there was now the universe.

* * *

"This, is the beginning of our species, the first stars of the new universe grown sentient by a strange power, gathering in pure ethereal forms, with the single purpose of making all life blossom wherever it sprung. They were few but powerful, and they searched, each one apart. One found life, and began to aid them with enormous intellect. But he was betrayed, this species captured him, bound him, and used him to control other species, and conquer other worlds, their own nearly torn apart by hellish war."

Images of a world nearly torn asunder showed, and a species wielding powerful weaponry and psionics forced what looked like sectoids and mutons to battle with and for them.

"They needed a new world, they always did, and they came to earth, intent on conquering it. Yet another ethereal halted them, and with human aid defeated them, shattering their control. After restoring earth and wiping the memories of all who were involved the one surviving ethereal of the two involved, sought to find the others of his kind."

Harrec saw Earth's surface riddled with alien machines of war, and a huge alien ship in orbit, then the ship exploded and soon after he saw the damage to earth fade away. He was in awe, he sensed it all to be true, and the resonance with his psionics determined there was no lie told in this story.

"He found them, and together they came to a conclusion, one that would shape the universe ultimately. They created us, beings of nearly limitless psionic potential, but in the physical realm, in their image. Most died giving their energy. And we were the result. And after many trails were deemed unworthy of the responsibility they carried with them. In our arrogance, we struck at them destroying many with ruthless power. Yet the last one of them gave us a message, and despite our arrogance, we listened."

Harrec saw a being of pure energy, looking very similar to the ethereals he knew, as it prepared of its inevitable demise. The ethereals he knew ready to strike it down with bolts of psionic energy.

"Its words made us ashamed of ourselves, we had shown such promise, and yet we laid ruin to the cause, and it gave us a chance at redemption. Create the worthy ones ourselves. And with those words it faded away in to the tools we needed to succeed. These are its memories you see here, and I speak with its voice, a primordial being of extreme wisdom, all that remains of our creators. We have come to honor it as our 'god' in your words."

"Yet we were still arrogant in our ways. We thought that any species that could harness the gift would be worthy enough. We started with one of the species we knew about, the sectoids. We uplifted them, but they used their new powers to slaughter the species that had once enslaved them merciless, they became cruel, ultimately failing. They could serve a purpose though, and we took them up in to the collective as tools we might use to complete our cause."

Harrec saw sectoids mercilessly mowing down their enemies with psionics and plasma pistols alike. Then being subdued by the ethereal hive mind to stop the carnage.

"We then found a being that was physically weak like us, yet could sustain itself in the strangest of ways. We created mechanical bodies for them, and drones to aid them, both with a glaring weakness but with the hopes that their cooperation would make them worthy. Yet their newfound sense of power left them devoid of interest in the cause, and they too had to be limited and subdued."

Harrec saw cyberdisks and drones fighting ethereals and sectoids, until the mechanical bodies of the cyberdisks cooperated and served.

"In the war that the sectoids had caused, another species had been involved, the mutons, yet they were all marred and wounded. Their bodies could not adapt, and so we gave them the strength of machines, but they could never forget their pain, and became an embodiment of rage, a fate worse than death."

Harres saw Ethereals carefully attempting to heal the nearly dead mutons, but ultimately failing.

"We began to search other worlds for worthy species, pondering if perhaps we had to start from scratch, make a species worthy all the way up from their not even sentient state. But they failed to grasp understanding due to their too rapid evolution. We had to control them before they overran their world and we took them with us."

Chryssalids feasting on their world were shown, until the overwhelming force of the collective could control them like the animals they were…

"Yet another species came to our attention, they were civilized, and proved loyal to our cause, not even requiring conflict even though they very well could have. But in all their glory, they could not control the gift, and what could have been THE example, became yet another wasted one."

He saw a crowd of those snake aliens he had seen and talked to, obviously sad they were not worthy, yet still pledged their total loyalty to the collective, to aid in any way they could, no matter the cost.

"We then came across the mutons' homeworld, where they had originally been taken from to serve in conflicts of another race. We hoped that in their purely organic state they would be worthy, but their primitive intelligence and lack of aptitude soon crushed that hope. Yet they were still formidable warriors, and with our technology in hand they came close to tearing down the Collective. Because of this we made artificial warriors, and eventually we were capable of subduing them too."

Harrec saw Sectopods fighting mutons with varying degrees of highly advanced weaponry, and many dead aliens littered the battlefield.

"And finally, that brings us to you…"

The universe faded around them, they were back in Etherion, and most likely they had been the entire time.

* * *

"When you… killed me, this remnant of primordial wisdom used what might have been the last of its powers, sensing that you were worthy, and giving us another chance at succeeding by altering time like it had once before. We now see that creating the worthy species did not mean becoming them, but rather raising them, like we would have known if not blinded by our arrogance."

The Ethereal sank to what probably were its knees as it continued to speak, slowly lowering its head.

"You are our last hope, the solution to our cause, worthy of ascension where we failed, enduring in both mind and body, our last chance at redemption. You humbled us in our defeat, and we became enlightened. Only with your help can we succeed. Will you lead us?"

Harrec looked at the kneeling ethereal. He knew it had spoken nothing but truth, yet still they had committed terribly atrocities.

"I will need time to think, though you have shown me you intent no harm this time, why should I help you after all you have done?"

The ethereal raised its head.

"Because if you do not, the consequences our visit has had might be beyond your power to restore, and nothing we have could do so either. Without your help, humanity might fail even still…"

A sudden feeling of knowledge and responsibility dawned on Harrec. He realized the Ethereal was right, there was a reason that xcom also had had to face human enemies. His voice did not tremble as he sealed the meeting with his words.

"Then lead you I shall, but for now you must continue to lead the collective. I sense that only few know of the shift in time, and we do not want to cause instability in the collective. I would like to return to Earth for a couple of days still, to make sure my decision is indeed the right one. I will signal when you can bring me here again. Make preparations for my stay here. And the stay of others."

The ethereal stood up, and the force field behind them disappeared, allowing Harrec's new guards to escort him back to the overseer.

"As you wish Chosen One, as you wish."

* * *

"You seem enlightened now, but tired as well, I will not bore you with my talk."

With a mumbling voice, deep in thought, Harrec replied.

"I just hope that my decision will shield the world against the repercussions that would destroy it."


	7. Fury of Darkness

XCOM ASIA HQ – 13th of February – 23:59 Local Time

He could sense them, all three of them. Hiding from him, yet still so remarkable in the open. Of course they were hidden as well, they did not want to be disturbed, and could not be disturbed if this was to go well. He looked his squad mates, his team, his pupils, _and his family_ , in the eyes. All were rather solemn, the re-activation of the XCOM project had left them quite startled, and they had not suspected they would have to deal with them. Or aid them, whichever way this turned. For all his strength, he would not like to go up against C.O. Bradford, not because he could not defeat him, far from it…

The result of the psionic location method he had thought of and had been accomplished with Annette's help, was rather surprising to say the least, just as you could say that during the Battle of Britain the populace was 'slightly miffed' because of all the ruckus. The furies were in the last place he had hoped them to be, EXALT HQ, and a couple of days later, they were in XCOM HQ. No doubt as EXALT spies, and he could sense them being awoken.

A grunt shook him from his thought, as he looked at the muton that had made the sound. However powerful he and his chosen were, they still needed raw firepower to accomplish whatever they were meant to accomplish, as soon as he knew what that was. He sighed, softly, this was not going to be easy. Not a chance of it.

He observed the patrols of the base personnel, as they walked through the halls with either a ballistic or a laser rifle, wearing either Kevlar or Alloy plating. Apparently XCOM had managed to get some alien resources to work with, the most obvious show of that, the MEC-trooper he had seen in the mess-hall. But for all that trouble that could tumble over them, he felt hopeful, maybe the world was not crumbling before his eyes after all.

He sensed that morning came, and the guards went to their posts to be relieved by the change of guard. It was Valentine's Day now. He sensed that Farisani started to move behind, and he turned around just to be overwhelmed by her kiss.

"Happy Valentine's Day Justin, let's make it the best one yet."

Harrec shook his head slightly, this was their first Valentine's Day together to begin with, but he replied softly.

"Let's give 'em hell Kira." And he gave her a kiss too.

* * *

The hours ticked by, but the soldiers were patient, meditating until called to action, even the alien troops were quiet. And then he heard it. With a loud voice he stepped out of the psi cloak they had made around them and spoke to his troops.

"Showtime boys and girls, for Earth, for peace. Axios."

"AXIOS!" was the reply he got, and a muffled war cry from the mutons still hidden in the cloak. The mutons were not to be used, yet.

* * *

The alarm sounded, and Bradford immediately touched his mic.

"Security Status red, this is not a drill, repeat…"

He cut of his voice as he saw the gun aimed at him, and knew he wouldn't be able to dodge its shot.

What seemed like a bolt of pure energy blasted the man's arm of, before he could take the shot, which he now saw had a peculiar sign on it, on a red background, and the wound was cauterized the moment the green blast passed, the man's bandana that was wrapped before his mouth was torn of as well.

Bradford instinctively looked at the source of the blast, and he could barely believe what he saw.

What he saw was a team of former XCOM operatives, all clad in some sort black armor with small purple and silver cloth hanging from their shoulders on their back like some sort of indication of rank. Then he saw the marksman who took the shot, putting on his helmet like the rest of them, the black screens hiding their faces.

One of them ran toward him and tackled him to the ground, before red hot lasers scorched the spot he had been standing just mere seconds ago. The person behind the helmet spoke in a comforting yet serious tone.

"Rally your troops, be on the lookout for any person wearing the EXALT logo on their arm, and be wary of Hawkin and the Tariqs."

It could have been a woman that spoke to him, the suit hid gender well, and the weapon she or he was carrying was as black as the suit, with a green glow within, the size of a carbine, lightweight yet more powerful than any ballistic weapon.

Gunfire rattled against the computers they hid behind, but stopped the moment an almost animal war cry signaled suppressive fire on the EXALT position. Bradford looked in amazement as giant bulky creatures carrying alien weaponry, clad in green armor hunkered next to them while others that looked the same kept up their firing at the doors.

Harrec quickly assessed the damage, he had had to call the mutons in sooner than expected, the EXALT soldiers already in the command center when they arrived, and they almost succeeded in taking out Bradford. But the very indication of laser weaponry among the EXALT troops no doubt meant Elites, or worse. This was no small battle like he had hoped for.

* * *

The MEC trooper fell over, with still that surprised look of shock on his face, as Alecto blasted the man's mind with psionic energy, fraying the mind of his opponent. All over the base he heard gunfire, and Bradford's voice before being cut off by something. This no doubt meant the man was dead. He smiled. This day this so called 'XCOM' would fall, and nothing could stop operation Helios except the stopping of time itself.

He and his two team mates had made contact with the considerable number of spies in place in the XCOM base, and they decided that today they would strike. Both Tisiphone and Megaera held different positions with several Ultras, the best of the best EXALT had, while regular operatives and Elites moved to secure several key strategic points, like the command center, which he assumed had fallen by now.

He looked down in disgust at the corpse of one of his men, bones pulverized by the kinetic strike module the MEC trooper had had on its arm, but quickly pulled himself away from it, as he heard gunfire approach his position, but something else he could not entirely place as well…

Suddenly he heard the voice of Bradford, and he nearly froze in place.

"All XCOM personnel, report to battle stations, enemy forces have infiltrated HQ in unknown numbers, hold fire from anything or anyone not firing at you first, reinforcements are incoming from our allies."

"Allies?" Alecto shouted in pure shock and rage, as he smashed his fist through the steel beam he stood next to. But he quickly reassembled his mind and a grimace appeared on his face. All the more possibilities to test his Ultras.

* * *

Rounds burst through the vails and ricocheted of the more solid objects, as EXALT forces assaulted the research labs. The shock of the attack had not prevented Dr. Vahlen from responding quickly, as she ducked for cover immediately and over a secure channel informed the commander in his office. She got no response though.

A laser beam scorched the air above her and one of the aggressors flipped backwards from the sudden shock and pain as he was hit in the chest. She looked around to see one of her scientist handling the prototype laser weapon they had been testing, occasionally rising from behind his cover to take aim at the enemies and blast them with red hot fury.

But then she almost screamed, as the man's eyes suddenly turned white and purple and moved to aim the weapon at his fellow scientists and XCOM base personnel. Tisiphone smiled as she heard the sound her mind control had evoked from XCOM. She lifted her hand and several bullets bounced off of the glove she was wearing, with the EXALT logo engraved in it on the back.

She turned her attention to the soldiers who had dared to shoot her, and a vicious smile appeared as the first one fell over screaming in agony until he lay dead on the floor. And then she arrogantly strode in to the labs…

* * *

Megaera stood laughing as lasers and bullets alike were deflected by the psionic shield he had put up around himself and his men, as the XCOM soldiers were forced to hide behind pitiful cover while his troops rained fury upon them. Then he saw something he had not expected, a black suited soldier rushing through the corridor, on the wall no less, dodging the lasers and bullets like they were all frozen in place and blasted one of his Ultras with a beam of psionic energy and he saw the man panic and turn his weapon on his friends.

"No retreat, no surrender!" He spoke with a steady deep voice, and the man suddenly came to his senses under the influence of the psionic inspiration he had received.

But he ducked in to cover still as a green grenade flew towards their position, engulfing the regular operatives in the frontline in green plasma, their screams pure agony.

A green clad hulking creature appeared among the XCOM soldiers, and though they looked as startled as he was, did not stop shooting their position, as the beast let out a war cry and joined the firefight, on XCOM's side. Alongside that black suited person too, he could not see gender in that suit, and he watched in shock as his Elites fell beside him to green bolts of energy, immediately cauterizing the wounds, but their agony resonated in his ears.

"Not like this," he mumbled, and then louder; "Not like this dammit."

His Ultras looked serious enough to break a sword with their eyes, and one suddenly stood up, covered by the others, and blasted the green hulking creature down with psionic energy, and grimaced as the monster reeled back from pain and fell unconscious behind its cover, moments before he himself was blasted by another bolt of psionic energy, and his head went flying through the engineering department.

* * *

"Status report."

"EXALT seems to have taken the research labs and engineering department, as well as the barracks, but so far we have not seen Vahlen and Shen dead. Command center is secure, as well as the situation room with few casualties on our side."

Harrec nodded as the three men still watched him in amazement, as he talked to his troops, prepared better for an attack on this base than they themselves were.

"Is Delta section almost open? We need to get more troops in here to break their defences."

"No sir, Delta section is still on lockdown, apparently there are EXALT forces in there too, fighting base personnel and XCOM soldiers alike."

Harrec turned his attention to the men still staring at him.

"Commander Austin, we will need those override codes."

The commander of XCOM looked still rather much in shock too. This strange man had bursted in to his office, told him to duck behind his desk and then blasted several men following him with that strange weapon of his, as their bullets crashed in to his desk and overhead. He owed that man his life.

"Bradford, give him the codes, we need all the backup we can get against this 'EXALT' invasion, even if its aliens."

Bradford simple nodded and handed Harrec an XCOM electronic notepad with the codes on the screen.

"Thank you, commander. General Van Doorn? Can you come with us please? We need some inspiration for the men out there with a face they recognize."

"Give me a weapon and I'm in."

A simple hand gesture and a Muton elite came forward and handed its modified heavy plasma to Van Doorn.

"That big enough for you sir?"

Van Doorn looked at the weapon and then up at Harrec and smiled.

"Just my size, now let's send those bastards back to hell, shall we?"

* * *

EXALT HQ in ***** - 14th of February – 05:00 (XCOM ASIA HQ's time and date)

Cortex watched in disbelief at the images that were shown to him over the holographic screen, of the battle taking place in XCOM HQ. This was of great concern. Perhaps operation Helios should begin sooner, rather than later, perhaps even now. His hand wavered over the button he would need to press. No, he had to wait as long as he could, XCOM had to fall first, and that would be the most fortunate case. Nevertheless he still pressed the button for his communications.

"Tell the men to get ready, Sunset is coming after seven days of darkness in the Eclipse."

He watched the screen turn back to globe, the signs of EXALT cells becoming active all over the world. Not even XCOM would be able to stand up to this, not after the carnage in their base was done. Yet unease still filled his mind, and he took a glass of Scotch to relax in his chair, his mind still drifting...


	8. Eclipse

XCOM ASIA HQ Delta Section – 14th of February – 05:00 Local Time

* * *

"Hold position, they are charging us!"

The order nearly fell on deaf ears if not for an explosive blast that stopped the EXALT charge. It gave the soldiers just the time they needed to gather their wits again.

"Corporal Richter, what do we do?" one of the soldiers spoke.

"Simple, wir holden diesen position." Richter answered in half English half German.

Yet sweat beaded on his face too. They were cut off from the rest of the base, outnumbered and outgunned by an enemy surprise attack. Enemies who had access to far more specialized equipment and better training it seemed. The only thing holding them back was the abundance of grenades and rockets that they kept throwing their way, but those stores weren't going to last forever.

The combined screeches of laser beams and rattling of gunfire were a deafening sound that charged the atmosphere. He just hoped he was in time to help. Sgt. "Scuba" Pelizares ran straight through the wall next to him, and he immediately saw that he might just have been in time, but he still had to be fast. Lowering one knee he blasted a grenade in to the EXALT charge headed towards an XCOM position, and the fire of his minigun cleaned up any survivors, grinding the assault to a standstill. He noticed Johnson finally catching up and readying his rocket launcher. This was not the time to be slacking.

* * *

The muton screamed in tortured agony as the industrial saw cut in to its arm, ripping apart tendons and flesh alike, as well as gushing green goo over the floor. The EXALT operative quickly jumped back the moment the beast swung its fist at him, leaving the saw stuck in the muton's arm. He reached for one of the pistols on the front of his uniform, but as he executed the muton with a shot to the head, he himself was taken out by a blast from a shotgun straight to his guts.

The battle roared on, as EXALT clung to its position like a drowning man to a piece of driftwood. Both sides were taking casualties, and plasma and lasers scorched the equipment both sides were using as cover.

Megaera assessed the situation with a calm eye, the initial shock was gone, and he eyed the enemy 'commander' warily. Whoever that person was, they were a psionic too, and not a weak one either. He got his proof of that as one of his ultras was laying down on the floor with no head, it being blasted clean of by pure psionic energy. So far it had not come to a direct confrontation between the two of them, but soon maybe that would be the case. He would have to find a way to turn the momentum back to his advantage, and those damned green armor clad aliens weren't helping.

He checked his armor. As long as his surprise weapon was still ready to go, so was he. Alecto had had himself enhanced with genetics to such a degree it would be no surprise if the man could punch a train and it would move. His sister had herself made an armor that was like a second skin, using the best tech EXALT had, and the alloy used for it could deflect bullets of just about any weapon fired at her. But he had sought his power in his gift, the other two were focused on aggression, but he would be the shield that would protect them when offense was no longer an option. He would show this strange person how strong he really was.

* * *

Farisani could feel the surge of energy gathering where she knew one of the EXALT commanders was hunkered down. She saw that the enemy psionic soldiers also noticed the current, but the response to it was not as she thought. They all hunkered down quickly, reloaded their laser rifles and then she saw what was happening.

An enemy heavy blasted their position with a rocket from right out of the open, but no bullets or lasers reached the man before hitting something and stopping, mere inches before they would have reached the man. What would have been a perfect headshot on an elite medic was spoiled by the same occurrence. That man was giving all of his soldiers a nearly unbreakable psionic shield. She saw muton and xcom operative alike fall around her, unable to kill the EXALT that now in a calm pace moved forward, killing anything in their path.

She gathered her energy, and unleashed her storm on EXALT, hoping she could hold them of…

* * *

The counterattack by a third force in the battle had caught Tisiphone severely off guard. While she was taking the labs, suddenly they were driven in to defense as soon as they were in it. Apparently the base defense personnel had waited for her to step in before unleashing everything they had left upon the EXALT forces. The same time they were suddenly barraged by green bolts of plasma and purple beams of psionic energy from outside the lab. They were stuck between two fronts, and the only option was crushing one of them as fast as she could.

She ran straight in to the lab, ahead of her troops, and blasted the base personnel with the laser weapons mounted on her arms. She saw the lead scientist scurrying in to an emergency elevator, but she had other priorities now. Her ruthless attack had damaged friend and foe alike, but now at least they had a decent position against the new attackers. She saw three black suited soldiers with strange weaponry, along with a small amount of what appeared to be alien soldiers, at most 6 of them.

Yet they were still stuck inside the labs defending against them, with no way out. She had tried leading another charge but a direct hit on her chest had her duck in to cover immediately. Lasers and bullets it could hold, but whatever it was that hit her, it had scorched away nearly all the armor where it hit. The heat vision option in her helmet had allowed her to see where the enemies were, but their grenades came before her own, and they were forced to fall back again.

She would have to go all in if her plan would work, and she signaled her Ultras.

* * *

Annette had driven the EXALT in to the lab with the help of two other Chosen, but now the fight was nearly at a stalemate. She had seen the enemy leader, a woman completely clad in a shining engraved exoskeleton with weapons attached to it, her face covered behind a helmet mask with glowing red eyes. But a plasma bolt to the chest had forced her back in to cover and the terrifying image of the woman had not shown more than her arms since, only to fire at them with rapid laser beams.

She had to do something to break this stalemate soon, before the shock of her attack was over. Even though they were strong, the EXALT forces in the lab outnumbered them 3 to 1, and she would not allow them to use that as leverage. She quickly ducked her head behind cover as another salvo came in from an EXALT elite, and she dispatched him with a quick bolt of plasma to his face, the soldiers around the man almost screaming as they saw the man's face being melted away before them.

She would have to get another clean shot at the enemy commander, and quick, before she bolstered another charge like the one she had in to the labs. She spoke to the other two Chosen in her mind and they understood, and so did the mutons. She saw the enemy commander and her Ultras rise the same moment she and her chosen did. She saw the purple glow in their eyes, and recognized the devastation they could unleash…

* * *

Alecto let out another maniacal laugh as one of the MEC troopers he had under his control crushed the alien that came charging towards them. Sadly he had only been able to control a weak MEC-1, maybe he should not have killed the other ones with such impunity. But the KSM was effective enough in striking down these strange creatures. XCOM getting support from aliens, it had been a frustrating surprise, to which the steel support beam a few feet away stood testament, but he quickly regained his icy calm as he threw aside his enemies with either psionics or raw strength. This had allowed the operatives under his command to find cover as the enemy approached.

He and his Ultras had been able to hold off most of the attacks while his other soldiers handled the rest of them, but he sensed something stronger approaching, a psionic being. Just as the though faded out of his mind as he dodged a salvo of plasma, he saw the being he had sensed. A man completely clad in some sort of black armor, wearing a helmet that hid his face, and a purple current running along the edges of the suit, deflecting the lasers that would have hit him. Nevertheless the man still hid behind cover, to dodge most of it, and then he began blasting EXALT with plasma and psionics alike.

Alecto had tried to take the man out quickly by dominating an alien behind the man, but a panicking XCOM soldier shot the beast in the head the moment he had established control. He took the panicking soldier put with his sniper rifle before stepping back in to cover, weighing his options. The MEC he had controlled lay dead on the ground, but maybe he could try something, radical, to even the odds…

* * *

Harrec had left for the barracks the moment Van Doorn and a Chosen left for Delta Section. He had taken two elites with him as well, but the remainder of the troops was either still in the Command center or with Van Doorn to retake Delta. The earlier detachment of mutons he had sent down here had revealed to him that it was indeed where Alecto was holding up. And he was going to take the man down.

When he arrived he saw the MEC trooper using its KSM with great effect on the mutons, and he knocked the woman out, which unfortunately made it so her armor was pierced in the back by an EXALT laser as she fell over sideways, killing her. He had no time to pay more attention to the woman, he was in battle.

His elites covered the middle and right together with some regular mutons, and he took down the left side, where Alecto was. He saw the man shoot an XCOM soldier with his laser sniper rifle, before stepping in to cover again. A muton that had charged up to the column Alecto was standing behind was punched in to the wall on the other side of the hall by Alecto, and it fell over dead as another EXALT Ultra frayed its mind. He heard a mechanical whiz, and from the corner of his eyes he saw the power of Alecto flow to the dead MEC, as it slowly stood up and started walking towards them…

* * *

"Come on, get down here, not fair if I have all the fun!"

Van Doorn laughed as if someone had told him a joke as he blasted the incoming EXALT soldiers with a salvo from his new and shiny plasma weapon. He heard a serious "Yes, sir" coming from behind him as Scuba jumped down the ramp after him and aimed his flamethrower at the door that was suddenly kicked open by an EXALT Elite medic.

"Regenerate this!" He shouted as the propane tank next to the door exploded, taking the wall and the EXALT that were behind it down with it.

"Mind giving me boost Fishbowl?" Van Doorn laughingly shouted at the MEC.

Even in the midst of battle he still regretted the model of MEC helmet he had chosen, that had earned him the nickname Scuba. Nevertheless he still bent over slightly, as he heard the General's jetpack start up, and felt the man jumping on his back and then of off it again.

Van Doorn spewed death from above with his weapon, and he was still happily surprised by all the toys his saviors had given him to fight back, a giant plasma LMG and a suit of armor with jetpacks on it, made specifically for him. He had no clue as to how they knew his measurements, but in the heat of battle you don't ask yourself those questions.

Another squad of EXALT soldiers was wiped from the face of the Earth as Van Doorn blasted the door opening they were trying to pass through, tearing the wall and the ceiling above it down with them, and a sniper that had been hiding up top fell clumsily to his death, nearly in ragdoll fashion.

Sudden Mechanical whizzing and other alien sounds were all over the place as the main entrance gates were blasted down by a green explosion, and cyberdisks, mechtoids, sectopods, drones and floaters suddenly overwhelmed the remaining EXALT forces from behind. One of those Ethereals Van Doorn knew about floated out of the mass after the assault left no EXALT standing, and spoke with strength:

"Bring us, to where we may lay victory in the Chosen their hands."

* * *

The storm of energy tore apart the group of EXALT, all of them, except Megaera. Her own soldiers had also all fallen or ran, it was just her against just him. Megaera stood up from behind his cover, slowly, and faced her. She was trembling slightly, the power still surging through her, her weapon lay on the ground on the other side of the engineering department, far out of reach for both of them. The man opened his mouth.

"Very well then, let it be so…"

Amidst the floor littered with dead bodies, whole or torn apart, the man began charging all of his power to his hands. She did the same, and they both unleashed a beam of purple energy at each other. The two beams met in the middle and stayed there, bursting against each other with a hellish fury. The man was strong, and she was already weakened from the rift she had just used, and she felt the beam coming her way slowly, and she saw the grin on his face. A grin that suddenly turned in to shock, as all of his power faded and he was blasted back by her beam, barely alive maybe, with a green scorch mark on his back. From behind one of the many machines she saw him, and she took of her helmet and smiled.

"I thought I'd prove to you younglings that even an old man like me can still shoot a gun."

"Well, you sure picked the right time to prove it, Dr. Shen." And she laughed as the man tried to pose heroically with her carbine.

* * *

The power that Annette and Tisiphone unleashed at each other was massive, while the mutons together with the Chosen and XCOM soldiers fought with EXALT's Ultras, Elites and regular operatives. The blast nearly knocked them both over, and Tisiphone drew the blade on her back, and charged at Annette as soon as she regained her balance. Hastily Annette shot at the woman, causing her to slow down to dodge, while Annette grabbed an experimental Alloy Blade from the floor out of the hands of a dead XCOM scientist, and the blades clashed with ear screeching sound. They hardly realized that all the fighting around them had stopped, as everyone, even the mutons looked at the battle of the two women.

Annette's quick reaction had caught Tisiphone of guard, and the women stepped back a bit and felt her arm being hit by the blade of her opponent, but her armor could hold. Under her mask she peeled her lips in to a vicious smile, and charged again with reckless abandon. Annette used her psionic powers as well as the blade to block the onslaught that was unleashed on her. Enraged to the limit, Tisiphone drew all her psionic strength and together with the sword crashed it down upon Annette's shield, in a final desperate swing. The blades, surrounded by pure psionic energy clashed, and with a sharp *zing* they came closer, never the blades breaking away from each other. Until Tisiphone in all her rage attempted to push the other woman back, she stepped on the arm of a dead EXALT operative, and while she tried to regain her balance, Annette thrusted her blade in to the weakened part of Tisiphone's armor.

She felt the shock, and then her chest just felt cold, and she wondered why the ground could suddenly move, and towards her no less. She didn't feel her armor's life support functions kicking in as Annette pulled back her blade, covered in her blood. All around them, the EXALT soldiers lay down their weapons and raised their hands, with a defeated look in their eyes.

* * *

The MEC suddenly charged them, but was met with the plasma mini cannon of a mechtoid that stopped her right in her tracks. Suddenly the hall was full of mechanical units and other aliens, drones and cyberdisks, a couple of floaters and heavy floaters, the red beam from a sectopod coming from behind them tearing down EXALT's cover, while a couple of Vipers drew out the few who still had cover.

Alecto could not believe what he saw, and his rage overtook him, he grabbed the corpse of a dead soldier near him and threw it straight at one of the floaters, which he then immediately killed with what almost seemed an icy stare, but the use of psionic powers was obvious. Alecto stood alone, surrounded by mechanical enemies he had almost no defense against. With rage he watched as Harrec stepped forward, removing his helmet.

"It's over Alecto, surrender."

"NEVER!" Alecto sneered with rage, as he in a flash gather a ball of psionic energy in his hands and blasted it at Harrec.

But the energy was dissipated before it reached Harrec, and the man stood still, a grim look of sorrow on his face, as he raised his hand, and pushed him over with a blast of energy. The Ethereal that had led the alien forces in to the base floated forward and created a stasis field around Alecto.

"Thank you Xalieg, for arriving on time."

"It was not a problem too big to overshadow your goals, Chosen one."

A maniacal laughter cut their conversation short.

"You think you have won? HAHAHAH, this is only the beginning…"

Alecto spit blood on the ground, and with the last of his strength blasted a beam of psionic energy through the stasis field, sending a rippling current through the base, shutting down all electricity. Suddenly in the dark, with only the glow of the psionic powers and the alien weapons, Alecto spoke again.

"Welcome, to the Eclipse!" He shouted, blood covering the floor before him, as he coughed up more blood, and fell unconscious.

Harrec just stood, and looked at his best friend, from another time and place, and then steeled his will. The madman was right, this probably was only the beginning.


	9. Sunrise

Etherion, dark side of the moon – 20th of February – 19:27 GMT

* * *

"Anyone else just a little bothered by the fact that we make this call when it's not a round hour, or at least when the minutes can be divided by five?"

"No, and you damn well know that it doesn't matter the slightest bit if we made the call 2 minutes earlier."

The arguing started again it seemed. Richter and Pelizares were at it again. The two always seemed to argue over the most frivolous of things. But when it mattered, they were inseparable, an odd combo still, sniper and MEC. Apparently they decided that 'Scuba's' love for certain time periods was a good way to pass the time.

Johnson sat in the corner of the room, lifting a halter like it was nothing. Since the men were not psionic, they were given the best of the best genetic enhancements that would be approved of, along with some lessons in restraint to stop anyone going mad like Alecto had. But that could have been the EXALT brainwashing the man had been subjected to too.

Bradford still seemed a little uneasy with the whole situation, but he was going to be reassured when they made the call, and so would Austin be. Commander Miller. The man couldn't give less of a damn whether Harrec addressed him by rank or by first name, or any of the Chosen for that matter, but he still liked to refer to him as the commander in his head, he had fought war under that man's command, and he had led them to victory.

The decision to leave Van Doorn with Vahlen and Shen in the semi-ruins of the XCOM base had been argued over a lot, but in the end Harrec had convinced them it was the right decision. Having a ground, or underground, base at his disposal, even if not fully operational was better than nothing. But maybe it was operational again now.

Alecto's so called 'Eclipse' was the signal to EXALT that operation Helios was safe to proceed. One of the men who had known more than he should have among the EXALT Ultras was no match for Vahlen's efforts to gain the information she sought. He gave up everything within half an hour. And after further questioning of Megaera, the only one of the three furies who still seemed rather sane, had eventually given up his share of information too. And the results had send shivers down his spine.

Operation Helios, the new sun of a shattered world, plunged in to total war. And he could see the results taking place already, the preparations where almost all in place already. The plan had four stages to it. The first was to eradicate anything that could have tied the world's military forces together, any organization like XCOM in short. The second was to increase tension between global superpowers, and smaller ones as well. The third stage was in action now, the assassination of several presidents and monarchs, and the guiding of the accusations. Stage four, plunge the world in to war and then put itself forward as the saviors of humanity, with the Aliens to blame for all the chaos.

And at any time that fourth stage could start, EXALT's guiding had already led several countries to prepare for war on another nation, to settle disputes over what not and everything serious. All under the guise that the Aliens could be blamed if things went bad. There was only one way to stop that from happening, destroy EXALT HQ.

At least with XCOM at their back, the Chosen could attack that facility without making too much ruckus. Even though the council thought the XCOM project terminated by treason, and all involving personnel dead, XCOM still had, or rather Van Doorn and Austin, a few strings they could pull. Harrec shook his head, he was never going to get used to such situations, even for all his importance, he still just felt like a soldier. A very powerful soldier, but still, a soldier. This way it did not seem like an alien attack at least.

* * *

The communication device activated after a few weird noises, and he could see Van Doorn standing proudly in the new XCOM HQ command center. After the 'Eclipse', the collective had sent over several Supply barges full of equipment to repair it, in an alien fashion. The whole XCOM base now ran on elerium generators, and was outfitted with alien devices all over. Even several aliens themselves, just to make sure EXALT would not try anything stupid.

"Everything seems to be working fine down there I take it, general?"

"Who do you mean? Me or the four-armed guy you send in to help?"

Van Doorn let out a thunderous laugh before turning dead serious again.

"Ok but all jokes aside, yes, the base is operational again, and so is the Skyranger and the crew."

"So everything is in place for operation Apotheosis I take it?"

"Affirmative Harrec, just say the word and we will start."

"Prepare the men then, we will move out in 2 hours, make sure Big Sky knows where to fly to."

"The man is already prepared trust me, I've seen him recite the exact coordinates several times when asked."

A grin appeared on the general's face.

"Too bad I can't join with my fancy new armor."

"Are you still wearing that? Are you kidding me?"

Harrec tried hard not to burst in to laughter at the general's expression and reply.

"I've taken showers in between, just so you know, and the suit is clean."

"Taken in to notice general, now back to the matter at hand. We will hit the area with a localized EMP from orbit, and then XCOM goes in and takes it over, and brings me Cortex as well if possible."

"Then maybe we should keep an eye on one of our guys, the "Sheriff". The guy lost enough in the surprise attack, and I won't be surprised that if he finds Cortex first, we will have to bring him to you riddled with bullets."

"Noted, but we should start preparing now, we don't want to be outdone by your happy go lucky bunch."

"Affirmative, I will give the men your regards then."

The holographic display faded.

"Ok men, you heard the man, let's get ready to rumble!"

Harrec could only shake his head slightly at the remark before he responded.

"I appreciate the enthusiasm Johnson, but please keep about your wits. Even without any too fancy equipment, EXALT is still a threat."

A grumbled 'Yes sir' reached Harrec's ears, he was at least happy the message got across. Everyone else went back to regular, although Austin and Bradford seemed more at ease now. He left for his rooms, and with just a little less than 2 hours left, he knew how to spend them, and with who.

* * *

"I take it everything went well?"

"As well as it could have everything is in place, so we got some spare time."

Farisani looked up from her book with a smile.

"In that case, let me close the door… darling."

And with a simple touch of her mind, the door closed shut behind Harrec.

*About an hour later*

Harrec looked up at the ceiling, breathing heavily. Some things were still very physically demanding, Kira being one of them. He turned his head towards her, and stared at what was to him the most beautiful being in the universe.

"You can stop grinning like an idiot now."

She barely managed to get the words out before he kissed her again. For a second she was considering pulling back, but then she just went blank again. He pulled back first, again.

"We still got about an hour left it seems, I wonder what everyone else is doing now."

As to answer that question, a few knocks on the door sounded. And by the mental signature it was a Viper outside.

"The other Chosen are ready for the meeting, and so are the other humans, are you coming?"

The door was sliding open slowly.

"Yes we are, and don't you dare open that door further or look in!"

Farisani almost physically hurled those words at the Viper, sitting upright in bed, holding up her blankets to her chest. The Ethereals had been quite capable of making the room as human as possible for her. And Harrec was just grinning like an idiot again, staring up at her, still laying down relaxed, even though he was still slightly panting.

"As the Chosen wish."

The door closed again and Farisani sank back down for a few seconds, before throwing of the blankets to find her clothes. Harrec did the same, after she had thrown a pillow in his face for grinning again.

* * *

The meeting was mostly about details, for both during the operation and after. And the necessary precautions should EXALT still carry out operation Helios without Cortex giving the word. No one present had enough of an idea about EXALT's hierarchical structure, but several educated guesses and suggestions were made, with no nonsense about it.

* * *

Overseer assault variant UFO – 20th of February – 21:32

* * *

It was time, a few minutes after 21:30, which had drawn a laugh from Richter, and an incomprehensible murmur from under 'Scuba's' helmet. Johnson spoke in a dead serious tone.

"Let's get ready to rumble…"

The sound of gunfire made it clear that they were going to rumble indeed, as they readied their guns and waited for the signal.


	10. Axios

EXALT HQ – 20th of February – 21:32

* * *

"Now!"

As Harrec both shouted and thought the words, a massive EMP blast was launched on EXALT HQ, not hitting anything else, just the building. Moments after Big Sky came flying in with XCOM soldiers ready for payback against EXALT. But something was not right…

Concealed laser turrets in the building started shooting at the Skyranger, completely caught off guard. Before Harrec could say a word he saw smoke rising from the craft as its pilot still tried to get it on the landing pad. It only barely managed to, as it crashed in to the plaza next to the pad.

"Move, Move now!"

Harrec shouted from the top of his lungs. If they did not intervene now, the XCOM soldiers would be massacred. Scuba needed no further encouragement as he jumped of the Overseer onto the top of EXALT's HQ, Jetboot modules making sure he would not crash through the roof and several other floors. To the EXALT it appeared the MEC came falling out of mid-air, and they scrambled to position themselves against him, the first shots barely missing the man in the machine.

Scuba's distraction allowed the others on the craft to land on the other side of the building before the overseer took off again, its cannons still ready though, to be fired at the base if all else failed. The distraction had also relieved some of the pressure on the XCOM soldiers, who managed to pull out of the burning wreckage of their craft, miraculously with Big Sky behind them, and returned fire against EXALT.

But they were all stuck behind their cover, even the MEC was forced to hide. All the lights in the base were still on, the EMP had done nothing it seemed, it was deflected somehow. Automated turrets firing at anything that had a heat signature and no EXALT-tags. Lasers and slugs filled the air around their positions, with no way out it seemed. Then one of the turrets got knocked out by a barrage of lasers. The S.H.I.V. had no heat signature significant enough for the turrets to notice it, and its alloy carapace deflected most of the incoming fire from EXALT operatives that managed to hit it.

"Forward!"

The command he issued was followed immediately, and the Telekinetic field that he threw up shielded them from the remaining turrets' barrage. The few surprised EXALT elites that had been shooting at the S.H.I.V.s destroying their turrets and managed to notice them were quick to react nevertheless, as one ran forward with a blade attached to his arm, no doubt of a very strong alloy, to kill one of them had it not been for Richter. The back of his sniper rifle connected with the man's jaw in a shocking fashion, and the man flew forward a bit more before falling down on the floor with the back of his head.

Another EXALT soldier immediately turned his attention to Richter as he broke his concealment, but was stopped almost immediately by Johnson's knee striking in between his legs. The genetically enhanced legs of the heavy caused a *squish* sound as the man sank to the ground, uttering a single swear word before falling over, eyes in pure shock and voice nothing more than a soft throat rasping as if the man was crying. He most likely was. The look of triumph on Johnson's face disappeared rather quickly however as a rocket came flying towards him from the roof of the building. But with the mechanical accuracy only a MEC could obtain, a grenade hit the rocket in mid-air.

* * *

Debris flew all around and a piece of brick nearly hit her head, but another hit her square on her shoulder. She got knocked over by the impact, and struggled to get back to her feet. The firing of lasers and bullets was still present al around her. She felt something tingle in her mind, and she looked to the source. A few EXALT Ultras joined the fray from within the building, and one had just tried to mindfray her. She focused on the current of energy between them and grimaced as she saw the man in question stumble back with his hands to his face, his weapon dropped to the floor. She drew her pistol and shot the man. It was meant to be kill-shot, but her shoulder gave way to the slight recoil of the weapon and she instead hit the man in the knee, and watched him tumble further backwards, out of a window, followed by a loud scream that no doubt ended in a *splut* sound had she been able to hear it.

She felt her mind tingling again, but this time it was not just one Ultra attacking her, it was 6 of them. And she felt her mind give way… she heard someone shout "Farisani!" before she went blank.

* * *

Annette noticed something was of about her battle sister just a few moments before she collapsed. She rushed forward immediately to help and then noticed the Ultras from the corner of her eyes. She changed her trajectory and blasted one of them straight of the stairs inside the building, as she crashed through the remains of the window and sliced another's hand of with her alloy blade. An elite that was with the group threw himself at her, and they both crashed through the same window again, but this time out of the building. The man tried to hit her with the back of his laser rifle, but a slug to the man's side from Scuba's railgun threw him right of off Annette. She quickly rushed into cover as fast as she could from her position as lasers scorched the ground where she just lay. And she watched in horror as the men she was taking aim at suddenly got torn to shreds by a rift.

* * *

He turned away from the carnage he caused quickly, blood and limbs flying through the building and the pillars on the outside. As soon as Kira went down he had rushed over to her, with no concern about his own life, as if the EXALT did not exist. He had promised her that this time they would both live, no matter what. He checked her pulse. It was present, but she was out cold. Enraged he had turned towards the Ultras that had caused it just to see Annette almost going down to their lasers. No. No one under his command, who he had led here because they believed in him would die for him anymore. And before he knew it, he had ripped open a rift of energy where they stood.

The fight on their side of the building was over for now, but on the other side, XCOM was still stuck on the landing platform behind the air-conditioning vents. He did not care. All he cared about was for her to open her eyes again.

"Harrec, is she…"

"She's alive, don't worry about it, I'll stay with her, you guys go help XCOM."

"Are you sure that is a good plan?"

Harrec looked up as Johnson cut in to the conversation. He looked back down to his fiancé, and then back to Johnson. With a voice of steel he spoke.

"Yes, I'm sure. I'll get her back on the overseer or ready to fight. Either way it won't be long before I'll join you guys again. Just make sure you leave some of the bastards for me."

He said the last part with a twisted grin on his face, but the others could not see that behind his helmet.

"You guys coming or what?"

Scuba's voce crackled over the comms, lasers and bullets sizzling through the air in the background. The MEC apparently had already rushed back to the other side of the building as soon as the fighting on their end had ended.

He gave a nod to Johnson, and the man started running to the other side too, with the Chosen right behind him. Richter most likely had already found a good place on the roof to snipe from. He lay Farisani with her back straight against one of the vents, and rushed to climb the water pipe on the side of the building.

* * *

With Richter and Scuba suddenly joining the fight from the roof behind EXALT's position, the XCOM soldiers rushed forward in to the building. Just in time, as a rocket flew to the position they had just been at, and completely destroyed one of the S.H.I.V.s that was still there. Shrapnel reached the large windows before they did, and some of the men in Kevlar fell to the ground screaming as hot pieces of metal stuck out of their backs. Nevertheless the remaining soldiers pushed on, as they rushed through what little remained of the large glass panels.

They were met with immediate fire against them from behind cover positions next to the doors of the front room, as no less than 4 elite heavy's unleashed their laser LMG's on them. XCOM's assault was almost grinded to a halt, but then Johnson decided he was going to show off his own fireworks, as his rocket struck true and one of the walls the heavy's were hiding behind was torn to bits and smolders, as well as the corpses of the two elites in question. Two of the chosen quickly knocked out the other two across the room with their Psi-powers. They now had a foot hold inside the base.

Out of nowhere suddenly an electrical current struck one of them, and then the other. A man in an Exo-suit armed with heavy arc weapons and alloy blades, that were no doubt also charged, suddenly rushed forward against Johnson. He blocked the first strike with his LMG, but the second one tore the weapon in two. He kicked between his assailant's legs. But to no avail. He felt no balls to crush, and those eyes were those of a woman. He felt the shock scorch his skin, and then one of the blades pierced his shoulder. He fell to the ground as his second heart kicked in, only barely keeping him alive. The last thing he saw before he hit the floor was Scuba crashing through the skylight and crushing the lady in steel with his KSM, before the current of her weapons nearly fried his systems.

* * *

Harrec cleared out the last room of the EXALT base occupied by EXALT forces with ruthless efficiency. He blasted a whole conga line worth of them with one psionic blast, and cleared out the other remaining few with a grenade and a few shots from his plasma rifle. He saw the last enemy in sight go down to the KSM of Scuba, and an XCOM medic attending a critically wounded Johnson. He walked onto the platform the led to the EXALT hologlobe, with Richter and Annette right behind him.

That laugh, he remembered it all too well, the laugh of a maniac who just lost everything, but still thought there was a way out of it. But with so much confidence in it, it sent shivers down everyone's spine. A soft and slow applause followed, as a man rose from the chair in front of the red globe.

"I'm impressed you made it this far, but it will all be for naught soon enough. I take it my Furies failed me, for otherwise you wouldn't be here. They deserve to suffer in their defeat, their arrogance exceeded their powers."

"How dare you even speak of human beings like that, they aren't just pawns in your game!"

"Not my game, our game. You played it well enough yourself, enough men died for you too."

"Only because you attacked them, they fight for me because I saved them from you."

"And what of those I saved from the gutters by giving them jobs? Giving them a cause to fight for? Providing care for their families? You did not honestly think I was pure evil now did you? It all serves a greater purpose."

"Spare us the lies, your only reasons are greed and megalomania, and you try to cover it up by pretending to shelter those people, while you slowly indoctrinate them to become your mindless slaves!"

"If that is what you accuse me of, there is no point to talking to you. The fourth stage will start now!"

The clock struck 00:00, 21st of February, and Cortex's hand reached for the button that would signal stage four.

* * *

"Oh no you don't, you bastard!"

A sudden blast of energy followed Farisani's voice, as the force knocked Cortex in to Annette's grip. She removed her helmet and Cortex stared with wide eyes as he recognized her.

"Recognize me, old man? I'll be sure to watch more carefully then you had me watched."

Richter smiled at the remark, he had heard the stories from Annette herself, and they walked Cortex out of the ruins of the EXALT base.

Harrec rushed down the stairs to support Farisani, who nearly fell over again because of all the strength she had used. He removed both his own and her helmet and kissed her, before she backed away slightly and whispered softly: "You kept your promise, I kept mine."

* * *

Etherion command center broadcasting section – 5th of June - 21:35 GMT

* * *

"Are you ready for your big speech, mister Chosen One?"

"As ready as I will ever be I guess. I'm still just a soldier at heart."

Farisani leaned forward and gave him a soft kiss on the lips, and adjusted the tie of his officer's uniform. She then held her hands against his cheek, the cold alloy ring on her hand did not bother him, as he wore the match of it after all.

"You got this darling, go show it to the world."

Xalieg appeared from around the corner.

"My lord, everything is ready for your broadcast."

"Thank you Xalieg, I'll be there shortly."

He kissed his wife on the lips, and then turned around. He would give his message of hope, and peace, with no more EXALT to spoil it.

"Axios" he said.

"Axios" Farisani answered him, and they both smiled.

Their ascension had begun, and they were worthy.


	11. Glossary

**Glossary**

Annette Durand – one of the chosen with a natural latent ability to enhance the psionic powers of other beings.

Austin Miller – Commander of the XCOM project.

Archangel suit – The suit of armor given to General Peter van Doorn during the attack by EXALT, it allowed him to momentarily fly over the battlefield for an advantage.

Alecto – The code name for one of the Furies, enhanced with powerful genetic modification that allowed him to reach the strength of a muton, and more with the use of his power.

Andy Johnson – A steadfast rocketeer of XCOM whose grim personality only lightens up when he blows his enemies up in to the sky in a million pieces, later genetically modified by the collective as part of a special agreement.

Axios – Latin phrase meaning "I am worthy" or "We are worthy" it is a reminder to all who follow Harrec that must not and cannot fail humanity.

Apotheosis – The codename for the strike against EXALT HQ, the code for mission success was Apotheosis denied. Mission failure code was Apotheosis confirmed.

Big Sky – Code name for the pilot of XCOM's skyranger.

Cortex – The code name for the leader of EXALT, his true identity forever a secret.

Chosen – A group of former XCOM operatives that are psionic, they were gathered to be trained under the command of Justin Harrec as a means of defending Earth against threats that plotted the destruction of civilization as we know it.

Chosen One – The nickname given by the collective's former leader to Justin Harrec, first among humanity to match their power.

Central Officer Bradford – The second highest in command in XCOM, John Bradford oversees any lesser concerns so the commander can focus at the main task at hand, defending Earth.

Delta Section – The fourth section connecting XCOM HQ to the surface, it was besieged by EXALT during their assault.

EXALT – A paramilitary organization bent on the domination of Earth, they have managed to stay hidden for centuries, but were ultimately unsuccessful in their goals.

Elders/Ethereals – A centuries old species known to be the most powerful and gifted in psionics, they are on the run from an enemy they cannot stop with their current power, and have been tasked by the last precursor of their species to "create" those who could, leading them to Earth. Having been defeated by humanity, a time warp by their precursor allowed them atone for their mistakes and raise humanity as their worthy successors to the responsibility they carry.

Elites – Code name for EXALT soldiers that have been genetically modified and carry advanced laser weaponry.

Ethereal collective – The union of all the species gathered by the Ethereals during their journey through space.

Etherion - A humongous spaceship owned by the Ethereal collective, it functioned as their capital during their journey through space, as well as their military command center. Also called the Temple Ship. Its size is that of a medium sized country, comparable to the size of Germany.

Eclipse – The codename EXALT used for their assault on XCOM HQ.

Elerium – A mysterious element that provides power to most of the systems used by the collective.

Furies – The code name for the trio of special gifted operatives of EXALT. They are the strongest soldiers EXALT had to offer, and each was given a special means of enhancing their power. The Furies' their individual codenames are a reference to the old Greek myth of the Furies, Alecto, Megaera and Tisiphone.

Gifted – The term used to describe if someone is psionic.

Helios – The codename for the 4 stage program that would have brought the world under EXALT's dominion. It refers to the EXALT logo resembling a rising sun, a new dawn for humanity.

Initiate – A term used for the new Chosen when they had just joined the collective, it was quickly disbanded in favor of the general use of the term Chosen.

Justin Harrec – The Chosen One of humanity, leader of the Ethereal Collective and the United Human Coalition, currently the strongest psionic creature in the known Universe, The savior of Humanity. Husband to Kira Farisani.

Kira Farisani – One of the strongest among the Chosen, known for her defensive posture that can quickly turn to aggression when provoked. On par with the power of an Elder in many ways, but not as refined yet. Wife to Justin Harrec.

Karthus – The codename of the EXALT operative who managed to infiltrate an Ethereal facility, real name Ruben Florès, was in charge of the Furies Exalting project which led to their powers being unlocked. His codename is often written with a C as well as a K to confuse any enemies who get their hands on his data, as he appear to be both sender and receiver in those cases.

Laser weaponry – Weapons that use lasers as opposed to conventional ballistics, developed by both XCOM and EXALT.

MECs – Mechanized Exoskeleton Cyber suits, XCOM soldiers trained with these proved instrumental in the defense of Delta Section. They stalled EXALT long enough for the Chosen to seize the momentum.

Megaera – One of the Furies, Specialized in defensive techniques, had several implants made in to his skull to enhance his powers to their maximum potential, allowing him to use powerful techniques unheard of even by the Chosen, but not strong enough to stop his demise.

Moira Vahlen – Chief scientist of XCOM.

Muton – Standard collective frontline units armed with plasma weaponry and grenades, they also come in elite versions carrying even deadlier weaponry and ornate armor.

Miadas – Codename of the leader of the EXALT cell operating in France, and who would have been responsible for the capture of Annette Durand had she not escaped with the collective beforehand. We do not know what became of him after his failure…

Merlin – Codename of EXALT's primary intelligence and espionage officer, he reports only to Cortex, his direct superior. His capture after operation Apotheosis led to the uncovering of the entirety of EXALT's network.

Overseer – UFO type capable of concealment and extremely fast travel.

Psionics – A powerful form of energy that can be manipulated by beings with an aptitude for it that can change the effects of the other laws of physics to devastating degrees.

Plasma weaponry – Weapons that fire ionized/superheated gas as opposed to conventional ballistics, these weapons are most commonly used by the Ethereal collective and their allies.

Peter van Doorn – UN General, natively Dutch, a major player in the defense of Delta section with his advanced tactical knowledge and some alien weaponry provided by the Chosen.

Raymond Shen – Chief Engineer of XCOM.

Sectopod – Powerful alien weapons platform that is entirely autonomous.

"Sammy" Pelizares – MEC trooper assigned to the joined assault team of Justin Harrec and his Chosen, known for his punctual behavior outside of combat, and his wild side that he unleashes in battle. Often referred to as Scuba because of the way his helmet looks.

Tisiphone – One of the Furies, Tisiphone chose to have herself build an exosuit with arm mounted laser weaponry, and feared for her blade that coupled with her psionics can cut any man straight in two if she chose to do so. Known for her overzealous behavior in combat.

Ultras – EXALT units capable of using psionics, they stand even higher in rank as elites and their genetic modifications are only surpassed by those of the Furies. Against the untrained mind they can do quite some damage, but multiple are required to be a threat to a Chosen.

Uber-Ethereal – The former leader of the collective before he handed his position to Justin Harrec. The strongest among his species, he has developed immunity to certain psionic abilities. The only thing differentiating him from his fellow Elders is his ornate headpiece.

Viper – Alien race that is loyal to the collective not by coercion but by conviction, yet incapable of embracing "the gift", they are versatile and can be trained and modified for many uses.

Vigilo Confido – The phrase used by XCOM as an oath to their cause, derived from Latin, meaning "I am watchful, I am relied upon."

Xalieg – Name of an Ethereal General in command of the Ethereal counterstrike against EXALTs reinforcements and responsible for the rebuilding of XCOM HQ.

XCOM project – eXtraterrestrial COMbat project, an initiative by the nations of Earth in the event of a common threat to the planet from outer space, but aligned itself with the Ethereal collective when the true threat of EXALT had become apparent when their HQ had to be saved by the collective and the Chosen.

Yannik Richter - An XCOM sniper whose messy personal behavior contradicts his dead-on accuracy and strict behavior in combat, assigned to the joined strike force led by Justin Harrec.

Zealot - The codename given to the mysterious female bodyguard of Cortex, her A.R.C.-suit and martial art skills allowed her to take down two Chosen before they could respond, as well as nearly killing Andy Johnson and Samuel Pelizares with her high voltage weaponry.


End file.
